


Bear Your Soul

by ObliqueOptimism



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Slight spoiler for Margaret's mission, Spoilers for Albert Mason's mission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 07:39:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17576672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliqueOptimism/pseuds/ObliqueOptimism
Summary: Arthur runs into Albert for the sixth time, can this be fate?





	Bear Your Soul

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wickedlydevious](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedlydevious/gifts).



> I was talking to my friend, wickedlydevious, about Arthur and we came up with idea for him. Also his dialogue with Albert is right from a fic, if you ask me.

It must have been fate, if one believed in such silly notions. Arthur gave himself a small smile as he spotted a familiar figure bending over a camera. He hadn’t seen Albert Mason in a few weeks, having saved him from gravity and himself.

Dutch always said that third time's the charm, but what did it mean if it was the sixth time?

“Mr. Mason!” Arthur called, once again to see Albert give a small squeal as he jumped in surprise.

“Mr. Morgan!” Albert gave a large smile and a hearty wave. “You’re just in time, as always.”

“And what am I just in time for now?” Arthur said in a faux annoyed voice, the smiling tugging at his lips giving it away.

Albert chuckled, “Hopefully an amazing shot. Look down there.” He pointed down the mountain where a mother bear and her cub were trying to catch some fish. “No need to worry, Mr. Morgan, I don’t plan on getting closer than this to them, and neither do you!”

“For once.” Arthur commented dryly. Patting a hand on Albert’s shoulder, he added, “This should make a very good picture for those people in Saint Denis.”

Albert’s face lit up, “You went to the gallery? I’m so lucky that they decided to show my work there. I still plan on selling to nature journals and the like, but well, sometimes money is a might tight out here.”

“Are you hurting for money, Mr. Mason?” Arthur was worried. He had some spare money he could give the man. He’d intended it for the camp, if he added a bit more to the supplies they could finally get a chicken coop, but if Albert needed it, the coop could wait.

“Oh no, Mr. Morgan. Not anymore. Thank you though.” Albert replied. “You are too kind. And not everyone here is so kind.”

“I’m not a kind man, Mr. Mason.” Arthur informed him, as he’d been telling people for the last few months at least. Why was everyone saying that to him nowadays?

“Mr. Morgan -- Arthur.” Albert paused to see if Arthur would say anything about the use of his first name, “Arthur, you have saved me countless times. How can you not be a good man? Not only that,” he held up his hand when Arthur was about to protest, “but you have never once tried to rob me.”

“That’s why you were short on money?” Arthur frowned, wishing he’d been there to stop them.

With a short nod, Albert turned back to the camera, taking a few pictures. “Not everyone I come across is as decent as you, Arthur.”

Before Arthur could tell him that he robbed people too, there was a loud crack of a branch behind them, followed by a roar of a bear. Albert jumped and turned, letting out a scream. Arthur had his gun out before he turned and made short work of the large bear. Shooting it a few times in the head, it went down before it got too close.

Grumbling to himself, Arthur went to make sure the bear was dead before seeing to Albert; full knowing that Albert was save based on his breathing.

The black bear was in deed down for good, and Arthur would get a good pelt off this one. Maybe even perfect. He’d been looking for a perfect pelt. Nodding, he patted it before turning back to Albert.

Albert was still calming his nerves, acting a bit like Arthur’s horse when he saw a gator. “It’s okay now, Albert.” Arthur said, “He can’t get you no more.”

“Thank goodness you were here, I -- I -- I would have gotten eaten. Again.” Albert came a little closer to Arthur. “You are so brave, sir. You just turned and -- I’d never seen shooting so fast! Remarkable!”

“Aw, it ain’t that amazing.” Arthur felt a blush start up his neck. Before Arthur could say anything more, there was a slight noise down at his foot, glancing down he was worried that the bear wasn’t as dead as he first thought when he saw it.

“Oh Jesus!” Arthur yelled, jumping back from the snake that was near his foot. However, in his fright, he fell back into the bear and toppled over it.

“What is it, Arthur?!” Albert looked ready to jump himself, “I can’t see anything!”

Getting up, Arthur pointed to where the snake was.

Albert looked down and smiled a bit, “Are you afraid of snakes, Arthur?” He glanced back to Arthur.

“They don’t have legs, Albert. You can’t trust them and their,” he paused and shivered thinking about it, “unnatural slither.”

Albert smiled at him, clearly amused. “It’s just a garter snake, Arthur.”

“I don’t know what that is. Is it poisonous?” Arthur thought about edging back towards Albert and the snake, but then thought better of it.

Albert bent down and picked up the snake, “You mean venomous, and not to humans. Basic idea between the two is that poison is when you bite it, venom is when it bites you.”

“Well neither is good and -- would you -- would you put that monster down!” Arthur wanted to shoot it out of Albert’s hand before the snake bit him. Which it didn’t seem to be trying to do but you couldn’t trust snakes.

Albert walked a bit away before putting the snake down and whispering something to it. Turning around to face Arthur again, he said, “I’ve seen you take out a pack of wolves. I had you bait a gator.” He glanced at the dead bear between them, “You just took out a bear, staying calm as can be.”

“Well I can see them coming!” Arthur protested. Albert then lost the fight of laughing and gave the most wonderful laugh Arthur had ever heard. “Don’t laugh at me, Albert!” He had a slight grin to his own face as he told Albert to take him seriously.

Albert did have a point.

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck, “I ever tell you ‘bout the time I took out a lion?” Albert shook his head as he stopped laughing, “One of them African ones, not like mountain ones we got here. Didn’t have time to be scared there, if I would’ve been.” He chuckled, “I thought it was going to be a dog.”

Albert looked as confused as Arthur had been, “What? A dog?”

“Well the other lion had been a dog so,” Arthur shrugged, “dog?”

“You do make me laugh, Arthur.” Albert let out another chuckle.

“Um, thank you, for saving me from the snake.” Arthur felt bit like a fool.

“My life is still in your debt more than yours in mine. Especially considering that this snake wasn’t even a danger to you.” Albert shook his head.

Before Arthur could worry about what Albert may say, he said, “Then how about we go get a meal together? As thanks? You can tell me more about all the wildlife you’ve seen and I can tell you about the zebra, tiger and lions I saw.”

Albert’s face burst into a grin, “I would love nothing more than that, Arthur.”


End file.
